Ameliorative effects of Garcinia hydroxybiflavanonol 1 (GB1) isolated from Garcinia kola seeds on cadmium chloride (CdCl2) induced reproductive toxicity in the testis of the male Wistar rats

Abstract

A high association between cadmium, a common environmental pollutant, and infertility in males has been established. Studies have established that antioxidants can enhance fertility either directly or indirectly. Garcinia hydroxybiflavanonol (GB1) extracts from bitter kola is known for its natural antioxidant properties. This study is aimed at investigating the ameliorative effects of administration of (GB1) on the reproductive health of cadmium chloride (CdCl2)–intoxicated male Wistar rats. Extraction, fractionation and isolation of Garcinia hydroxybiflavanonol (GB 1) were done from seeds of Garcinia kola. Thirty-six male adult Wistar rats weighing 170–190 g were acclimatized for 2 weeks and randomly divided into three groups. Group A were given distilled water as control, group B 2.5 mg/kg b.w. of CdCl2 and group C 2.5 mg/kg b.w. of CdCl2 and 2 mg/kg b.w. of GB1 dissolved in Tween20. The rats were orally dosed daily for 90 days. Every 30 days, 4 animals from each group were euthanized and blood samples collected for testosterone, GnRH, LH and FSH assay. Sperm qualities were determined using the cauda epididymis. The neutral-buffered formalin-fixed testes were processed for histology. The result showed significantly higher levels of testosterone, GnRH, FSH, LH and sperm quality in the CdCl2 + GB1–treated rats than in the CdCl2-only-treated rats. Histopathology showed progressive distortion, disorganisation, erosion and vacuolation of the seminiferous epithelium in CdCl2-only-treated rats which were not observed in the other groups. These findings indicate a protective effect of the GB1 extract on the testes of Wistar rats.